Collapsible container



Feb. 27, 1968 D. .1. WYROUGH 3,370,735

COLLAPSIBLE CONTAINER Filed Oct. 20, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I NVENTOR.

Feb. 27, 1968 D. J. WYROUGH 3,370,735

COLLAPSIBLE CONTAINER Filed Oct. 20, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 W WM UnitedStates Patent 3,370,735 CGLLAPSIBLE CONTAENER David J. Wyrongh,Roxlaoro, N.C., assignor to Midland- Ross Corporation, Cleveland, Ohio,a corporation of Ohio Filed Oct. 20, 1965, Ser. No. 498,888 8 Claims.(Cl. 217-12) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Many types of lading requirecareful packaging and well-constructed containers. As the demand forsturdiness increases the cost of packaging, a cost level is reached atwhich it may be economical to return shipping containers, especially, ifthey are susceptible to disassembly into a return package of relativelysmall volume. The utility of such containers may arise also to asubstantial degree through capability of being stored in collapsedcondition near the location where they are to be loaded. Hence, Wherethere is extensive in-plant use of containers that do not entercommercial shipping channels, the economy of storage achieved throughthe use of collapsible or knock-down containers may warrant their use.Furthermore, as the cost of packaging is included in the taxable base ofproducts entering some foreign countries, returnable containers reducethe valuation of lading subject to, e.g., tariffs.

Hence, an important object of this invention is to provide a containerhaving a rigid configuration in the assembled condition, but capable ofbeing collapsed and reduced to a package of small volume relative to itsbulk in assembled condition.

Another object is to provide a knockdown container in accordance withthe above object of a design permitting the use of lightweight andhigh-strength materials.

A further object is to provide a knock-down container having itsundersurface accessible to lifting implements, such as forklift trucks,crane cables, and the like.

Still another object is to provide a collapsible container whichinterlocks into a unit highly resistant to accidental disassemblyregardless of the position.

The above objects and any others apparent hereinbelow are achieved in acollapsible box or container having a plurality of rigid side-wallmembers, a like number of elongate corner members having reentrant meansfor receiving edge portions of the side wall members, floor means suchas a specially shaped floor adapted to fit the inner periphery of thebox as formed by the members when joined together, and support meanssuch as shelf members or other upwardlyfacing abutment structure on theside wall members and/or the corner members to support the floor in adesired plane above a supporting surface for the box or container. Thecorner members include legs which space the floor means above anysurface for supporting the container. The container further includesflexible strap means, such as metal bands disposed tautly around themembers when the container is assembled.

In the drawing with respect to which this invention is described below,

3,376,735 Patented Feb. 27, 1958 FIG. 1 is a perspective view of oneembodiment of the invention shown with a portion of one side-wall brokenaway to expose the door member thereof.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary plan view with a floor member portion brokenaway of a portion of the box shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of another embodiment having modifiedcorner members.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary plan view of a corner portion of the containerof FIG. 3 with the floor member removed.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary plan view with a portion of the floor memberbroken away of a portion of a modified box.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective View of portions oi a side wallmember and the floor member of a box such as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 inabutting relationship.

FIGS. 7 and 8 are fragmentary perspective views of modified collapsibleboxes or containers illustrating, in particular, modified cornermembers.

FIG. 9 is an exploded, fragmentary, perspective view of a corner portionof a collapsible container shown with the floor member omitted forclearer illustration of the corner member.

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary plan view of parts of the box illustrated inFIG. 9 in assembled condition.

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary elevation in section of the box shown in FIGS.9 and 10.

FIG. 12 is a perspective exploded view of a disassembled box shownarranged for parts being compacted.

FIG. 13 is an elevation view of the disassembled box of FIG. 12compacted as when stored or placed in shipment.

FIG. 14 is a perspective View of the container of FIGS. 9 to 13 incombination with a lid therefor.

Considering now the various embodiments of the invention in detail, oneform of knock-down box is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Box 4 comprises, asmajor components, four rigid side wall members 5, 6, 7, and 8; fourcorner members 11, 12, i3, and 14 in alternate relation with the sidewall members; a floor member 16; and straps 17, 18, and 19. The bottomleg extensions of the corner members characterize the box as one adaptedfor lifting by fork-truck or other implement capable of reachingunderneath the box.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a corner portion of the box 4 which is typicalof any one of its other three corner portions. This figure, inconjunction with FIG. 1, illustrates the construction of the cornermembers 11 to 14. As shown, each corner member comprises, essentially, asingle sheet of material bent along a dihedral angle agreeing with theangle between corresponding side wall members received by the cor ermember into two side portions 21 and 22. Each side portion comprises anedge section which has been out along a plurality of parallel lines fromthe extreme edge of each portion inwardly toward the apex or corner atwhich portions 21 and 22 join by shaping procedures well-known to formsets of alternate tabs in dispersed and longitudinally and transverselyspaced relationship. One set of alternate tabs in each side portion,i.e., sets of tabs 23 and 24, are shown shaped to an L-contour withrespect to the remainder of the respective side portions 21 and 22. Thisdisposes tabs 23 and 24 in outward, parallel, spaced relation with theplane containing the unbent tabs, e.g., sets of tabs 27 and 28.

This arrangement of tabs constitutes one form of reentrant means forreceiving edge portions of the side members as featured in thisinvention. The tabs may be provided with additional means for retainingthe side members as a feature of this invention. The tabs may beprovided with additional means for retaining the side members within thereentrant region defined by, e.g., the

sets of tabs 23 and 24, by means such as snag teeth 31, 32. As apreference, a side member may be secured to a corner member morepositively, as by teeth 31, 32, along one side portion of the cornermember when it is desired to have the corner member and readilydetachable from the other member as the drawing shows attachedpermanently to one side member. In practice, the prevention of loss ofbox components is thought to be better accomplished through a series ofshipping trips involving knockdown operations by permanently affixingeach corner member to one side member.

FIG, 2 illustrates a shelf or abutment portion 34, such as disposed ineach of the legs of the corner members, which enable the four legs ofthe box collectively to add substantially to the load-supportingcapacity of the box over a desired service period. In the particularembodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, each of the side wall members 5, 6, 7, and8 comprises a shelf or ledge piece, such as shelves 35 and 56 of sidewall members and 6, respectively. The floor member 16 rests upon theseshelves (see also FIG. 5). The latter in turn rest upon upward-facingabutments in the leg portions of the corner members, e.g., the abutment34 of leg 13. As indicated earlier herein, the floor member conformsapproximately with the inner periphery of the side wall members at thedesired floor plane. As shown in FIG. 6, it may be necessary to notchthe shelf 35, as at 38, in order that the tab nearest the abutment 34may be inserted between the side wall and the shelf secured thereto.

Strap means, such as the bands 17, 18, and 19, extend completely aroundthe outer periphery of the box in transverse relation to the lengths ofthe corner members and maintain the box in assembled condition. Thesebands are applied in a manner used extensively in other types ofpackaging familiar to the shipping departments of most corporatemanufacturers. Conventionally, these bands are applied by a portableimplement which contains a supply roll of steel band and is capable ofdrawing and securing the band in a taut condition.

FIG. 4 is a view from overhead of a corner section of a modifiedcontainer shown in FIG. 3 with the floor member omitted. This embodimentdiffers from that shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 in that only one side portion21a has an edge section cut to form tabs 41 and 42. A furtherdistinction is that the set of'tabs, e.g., tab 41, are folded inwardlyof the general planes of the side portions 21a and 22a. This arrangementdisposes tab portion 43 of tab 41 in parallel spaced relation with theentire side portion 22a of the corner member 11a. Tab portion 43 isspaced from the side portion 22a to receive the side wall 45 of the sidewall member 60. Side wall member 5a, on the other hand, is receivedbetween the tabs 41 and 42 and permanently secured thereto by rivetssuch as rivet 46. The side wall members 5a and 6a include also theshelves 35a and 36a, shown with small edge portions disposed under theclosest tab 41. The bottom of the corner member 11a is shown closed-offby a shelf 48.

FIG. 5 views from overhead the corner section of a modified collapsiblecontainer or box 4b wherein the corner section 11!: is initially cut fortab formation in substantially the same manner as corner members 11 to14 of FIGS. 1 and 2. However, two sets of L-shaped tabs, e.g., tabs 51and 52, are formed inwardly of the dihedral angle between the mainplanes of the side portions 211) and 22b. The tabs 51 and 52 are inparallel spaced relation with corresponding sets of straight tabs, i.e.,tabs 53 and 54, respectively. The latter tabs are shown unbent and inthe main planes of the corner member side portions. The spaced sets oftabs thus provide the reentrant means in the corner member needed forreceiving the side wall members 5b and 6b.

The container corner portion illustrated in FIG. 7 is illustratedprimarily to depict another mode of constructing a corner member. Thecorner member 11c shown therein comprises a pair of thin sheets 55, 56,bent into general conformity with the dihedral angle between the sidewall members 5c and 6c. As shown, the inner sheet 56 is bent orotherwise formed with its edge portions 57 and 58 in spaced relationwith edge portions 61 and 62 of the sheet 55 to provide the necessaryreentrant means of the corner member for receiving the adjacent sidewall members and 6c. The sheets and 56 are joined together as bywelding, riveting, or bonding with an adhesive such as an epoxy-resin.

In FIG. 8 the corner member 11d receiving the side wall members 5d andis typical of extrusions commercially available from extnuders of metaland plastic materials. The corner member 11d comprises side portions 21dand 22d, each of which branches or becomes bifurcate in cross sectionproceeding in a direction away from the apex formed at the juncture ofsections 21d and 22d.

FIGS. 9, 10, and 11 illustrate a further embodiment. The knock-down box42 of these figures comprises corner members 5e and 6e, the cornermember 11e,'and the floor member 16e. For purposes of illustration, thefloor memher is omitted from FIG. 9 which illustrates a corner portionof the container with parts in abnormally detached relationship. Ofparticular interest is the construction of the corner member He. Asshown, it is formed of three pieces of sheet material, such as steel oraluminum, in a desired configuration, viz., an angle element 65 formedas shown to a right dihedral angle, an elongate Z-shaped element 66coextending with a major portion of the element 65 to form reeutrantmeans for the side members 5e, 6e, and a generally U-shaped element 67welded or otherwise secured in the usually lower end portion of theelement 65.

The cross-sectional shape of the Z-element is such that when a flatlongitudinal section 69 thereof is welded or otherwise attached to sideportion Zle of the element 65, cavities of a width a little larger thanthe thickness of the respective side wall edge portions are formed at 71and 72. The side wall edge portions of members 52 and 6e are shownwithin these cavities. FIGS. 10 and 11 disclose that the shelves 35e and36s of side wall members 5e and 6e, respectively, rest upon the topsurface 74 of the U-shaped element 67. Thus, the element 67, secured asby spot welding of its tabs 75, 76, 77 to the element 65, providesreenforcement of the leg portion of the corner member and a shelfsurface on which the side wall members may be located and supported. Theelement 67 is further of primary support for lading placed in the box 4esince the weight of the lading is transmitted from its floor member 16athereto through the shelves 35e, 36e.

Preferably, the side wall member 5c is permanently attached to thecorner member 112 by any of the means hereinbefore disclosed. Anadditional satisfactory means of attachment is by an adhesive, such asepoxy-resin ap-.

plied liberally to the cavity 71 before insertion of the edge of theside wall member 5e.

The lower end of the element 66 is spaced sufiiciently from the surface74 of element 67 to permit disposition therebetween, in addition to theshelf member 35s, of an edge portion of the floor member 162. The objectof this arrangement is to secure the floor member in its positionadjacent the surfaces of all of the corner members corresponding tosurface 74. The floor member 16e may actually engage the side wallmembers 52 and 6e, as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, to contribute to therigidity of the assembled container. While the floor member is intendedto extend under the entire end surface of web 79, this web of theZ-elcment 66 is formed with an outwardly projecting crimp or ridge 80which positively overhangs the floor member. As shown, the shelves 35eand 36a have beveled end surfaces in abutting relationship over theelement 67.

The components of box 4e are held together in the same manner asillustrated in FIGS. 1 and 4 by flexible bands encompassing theperiphery of the box, such as bands 17, 18, and 19.

FIGS. 12 and 13 illustrate, for example, the box in FIGS. 9, 10, and 11in a disassembled condition exemplary of the collapsed condition thatcan be achieved by the embodiments of this invention to effect a neat,compact package of the container components suitable for storage orreturn from a delivery point of lading carried therein.

FIG. 12 is an exploded view of the package of box components shownplaced one on top of the other in FIG. 13. From FIG. 12 it is apparentthat for easier packaging, the floor member 16a is divided into tworelatively hinged sections; side wall member 52 is attached to thecorner member He, the side wall member 6e is attached to the cornermember He, and so on.

If further compactness in packaging is required, the box may beconstructed with the corner members and side wall members readilyseparable so that the plate-like side wall members and the floor membermay be grouped in one bundle and the corner members formed into anotherbundle. However, because of the tendency in practice of the side wallmembers to stray into other uses, it is generally preferable tointegralize one side Wall member with one corner member.

FIG. 14 illustrates that any of the knock-down boxes herein disclosed,e.g., box 4e, may comprise a lid 8-5 having a top plate 86 andpositioning means, such as molding 87 adapted to fit within theperiphery of the top edges of the side walls of the box. The lid 85 maybe secured in transit by the means shown, i.e., straps 88 and 89 passingover and under the box, shown in loose condition but used in tautcondition in the manner of the horizontal straps 17, 18, and 19.

The embodiments hereinabove described disclose an arrangement or"container components which unite into a highly practical collapsiblecontainer not heretofore commercially available. It is of a designadapting it for heavy duty service and handling by the various liftingimplements used in the shipping industry.

The terms and expressions which have been employed are used at terms ofdescription and not of limitation and there is no intention of excludingsuch equivalents of the invention described or portions thereof as fallwithin the scope of the claims.

That which is claimed is:

1. A knock-down box defining an inner periphery along a desired floorplane comprising in assembled condition:

a plurality of side wall members disposed in serial edgetoedgearrangement along said periphery;

a like number of elongate corner members in alternate relation with theside wall members, each corner member comprising reentrant meansextending along both planes of a dihedral angle extending lengthwise ofthe comer member having received therein edge portions of side membersdisposed in said angle planes with at least one edge portion readilyseparable from a corner member to render the box collapsible;

floor means having an outer periphery conforming approximately to saidinner periphery and disposed in engageable relation with the inner sidesof the wall members, said floor means cooperating with the side membersto form the bottom side of the container;

support means comprising a leg forming a lower portion of each cornermember, each leg having an upwardfacing abutment for supporting saidside Wall members and said floor means in said floor plane; and

flexible strap means secured around said members in taut condition andin transverse relation to the lengths of said corner members to maintainthe box in assembled condition.

2. The knock-down box of claim 1 wherein said support means furthercomprises a shelf fixed to each wall member having a support surfaceapproximately in said plane and extending inwardly of said innerperiphery for receiving said floor means.

3. The knock-down box of claim 1 wherein each wall member having a shelfsecured on its inner side along its bottom edge for receiving said floormeans extending into superposed supported relation with said abutments.

4. The knock-down box of claim 1 wherein:

said corner member comprises substantially a single sheet of materialhaving two side portions, each portion is disposed generally in oneplane of said dihedral angle, at least one of said portions has an outermarginal section cut from its outward edge toward the apex of said angleto divide said section into a plurality of tabs; and

said reentrant means comprises two sets of said tabs along said cutsection of which one set is dispersed within the other set and bent inrelation to the other set to receive an edge of a side member betweensaid two sets.

5. The knock-down box of claim 1 wherein:

said reentrant means terminates just short of a plane occupied by thesurface of the floor means which faces lengthwise of the reentrantmeans, and

the floor means extends into facing relation with an end surface of thereentrant means to thereby lock the floor means into place in theassembled box.

6. The knock-down box of claim 1 wherein:

said corner member comprises two elongate elements of sheet materialsecured back-to-back in general conformity with sadi dihedral angle; and

said reentrant means comprises edge portions of the elements extendinglengthwise of the member and separated to receive therebetween edgeportions of said side wall members.

7. The knock-down box of claim 1 wherein said corner member comprises anangle element and a Z-element of sheet material, said angle element isof angular crosssection having two side portions conforming to planes ofa dihedral angle, and the Z-element is of Z-cross section and securedalong an inward surface of one side portion of the angle element with alongitudinal edge section in spaced relation with an edge section of theangle element to provide said reentrant means for both side membersreceived by the corner member.

8. The knock-down box of claim 1 wherein at least one of said cornermembers comprises an angle element having side portions conforming tothe planes of a dihedral angle and, for forming said leg, said membercomprises an element of sheet material shaped generally to -shapeconfiguration secured in said leg, said U-shape element having sidesections secured adjacent their termini to one of said portions of theangle member, and a middle section which connects the side sectionssecured to the other of said side portions.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 791,405 5/1905 Crandal 217-691,723,307 8/1929 Sipe 220- 3,195,968 7/1965 Freeman 312-263 3,266,6568/1966 Kridle 220-80 FOREIGN PATENTS 396,693 6/ 1924 Germany.

407,961 3/ 1934 Great Britain.

RAPHAEL H. SCHWARTZ, Primary Examiner. THERON E. CONDON, Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No.3,370,735 February 27, 1968 David J. Wyrough It is certified that errorappears in the above identified patent and that said Letters Patent arehereby corrected as shown below:

lines 5 and 6, "to have the corner member and readily detachable Column3, from the other member as the drawing shows attached permanently toone side member" should read to have the corner member attachedpermanently to one side member and readily detachable from the othermember as the drawing shows Signed and sealed this 10th day of March1970- (SEAL) Attest:

WILLIAM E. SCHUYLER, JR.

Edward M. Fletcher, Jr.

Commissioner of Patents Attesting Officer

